Kona Gold

Anyone else think it's weird that there's been so many celebrity deaths lately? I mean think about it. Michael Jackson, Billy Mays, Ted Kennedy... Apparently that trend has hit the horse racing world. For the next week and a half I'm going to go back and pay tribute to these great horses.

Kona Gold was foaled March 19th, 1994. He was sired by Kona Gold and out of Double Sunrise. His pedigree included Slew o' Gold, Nijinsky II, Seattle Slew, Princequillo, Northern Dancer, and Bold Ruler. He sold for only $35,000 in Keeneland's 1995 September yearling sale.

Kona Gold raced for six seasons from 1998 to 2003. He made a total of 30 starts with 14 wins, 7 seconds, and 2 thirds and earnings of over $2 million. He won the 2000 Eclipse Award for top sprinter and set two records. The first was in the 2000 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs where he set a Breeders' Cup and track record for six furlongs, running the race in 1:07.77.

The gelding's wins include the:

1999 and 2003 El Conejo Handicap
2000 Palos Verdes Handicap
2000 and 2001 Potrero Grande Handicap
2000 and 2001 Bing Crosby Handicap
2000 Ancient Title Handicap
2000 Breeders' Cup Sprint
2001 San Carlos Handicap
2002 Los Angeles Handicap

Kona Gold was retired from racing at the age of nine. He spent four years as Headley's lead pony before retiring to the Kentucky Horse Park in 2007. He was humanely euthanized after suffering a severe fracture to his left front leg while exercising in his paddock. The handsome bay gelding was 15 years old.

RIP Kona Gold